Varus or valgus deformity, which is a malalignment or misalignment of the knee, can be caused by several factors including for example wear and tear of the cartilage, misalignment at birth, post-traumatic fracture, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Current available treatments are limited to tibial osteotomy (open or closed, with or without bone graft) or unicondylar knee replacementor a total knee replacement. The degree of deformities and the patient age are usually the two main factors that decide which is the better option. The former method has been performed on younger patients while the latter on patients over 50 years.
Currently performed osteotomy methods can correct misalignment, but in general, these methods involve the use of complicated tools and in many cases, can lead to non-union. Knee replacements also can lead to complications, for example, infection, blood clots and injury to nerves or vessels. In addition, knee replacements generally involve replacement of a natural part of the body with a synthetic component, which needs to be replaced via another surgery when the synthetic component reaches its lifespan. Moreover, this procedure is generally not recommended for younger and/or active patients as the prosthesis cannot offer a high functional activity level and does not last throughout the lifetime of the patient.
Currently, osteotomy is generally performed above the tibial tuberosity at the level of the cancellous bone, which can cause tibial plateau fracture or collapse.